REIGN Ep. 49: Welcome to the Rest of Your Life (The Wastelands pt1; Dark Tower series book3)

Roland has the toughest luck. He’s been chasing the Dark Tower for years, decades, centuries even? He’s had to suffer and endure seeing the collapse of his civilization, losing all his friends, and wandering the scorched Earth trying to find his path to the Dark Tower, which he is mysteriously drawn to.

His new gunslingers are showing they have grit and will surely step up (we hope) and fulfill their ka (or destiny) as Roland expects. Eddie, Susannah and Jake are ripped from their reality and thrust into this strange perilous new existence. But they are leaving behind broken, unfulfilled lives. As hard as it is to lose everything and risk desolation and death, they have a purpose now and they are more whole than they were in their former lives. It’s a powerful statement about rebirth and second chances.

This is a story about relationships. It always has been. It’s kind of an odd thing to say since Roland is a nomad wandering the world mostly alone, but we see with his new companions that he is a mentor, teacher and father figure. The relationship is a complex one, with the newly married couple dependent on the gunslinger for their survival in this strange world. They go through some horrific trials that test their bodies and their minds. It’s a strange fantastical journey and I cannot wait to see what destiny has in store for these explorers in the wastelands.

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Welcome to the REIGN – a Readers’ Entry Into Great Narratives. Turn off the TV. Forget Fandango. Our weekly podcast will introduce you to sci-fi and fantasy literature and our thoughts on great genre picks.